


Wayward Hum

by Rumoris



Series: Tales Around the World Tree [2]
Category: South Park
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Established Relationship, Etrian Odyssey AU, Fluff, M/M, feel good fic, self-indulgent ficlet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-24
Updated: 2018-10-24
Packaged: 2019-08-06 22:08:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16396001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rumoris/pseuds/Rumoris
Summary: Kenny couldn't say no when Jimmy got sick and asked him to perform at a tavern in his place. Kyle couldn't say no to an opportunity to hear his boyfriend singing on stage even if he wasn't invited.However, chaos ensues when an old friend arrives to High Lagaard, looking for closure.





	Wayward Hum

            While the duchy was not famous for its wine, due to colder climate and their inability to raise grapevines that survived the late spring frosts. However, thanks to the creativity of its residents, High Lagaard quickly caught up with its alcohol game by producing at least two kind of variations and borrowing the recipe of whiskey from the neighbouring Etria.

            However, this also meant that in order to create a place where they could enjoy their drinks, several taverns strung out from the ground to act as local meeting centres for guilds and all kind of travellers. Celebrations at one table, memorials at another, that’s how they operated. Depending on the perspective a bar could have one atmosphere but hundreds of smaller stories hidden beneath the surface, changing from table to table. Tiny details, that only became apparent when someone took a step back from the milieu and took a glance at the bigger picture.

            Almost immediately they would’ve seen a red haired individual wearing a strangely formal pale-green shirt sitting alone in the corner. He stood out like a sunflower in a field of tulips, yet in the clamour of the tavern, nobody paid attention to his quiet presence.

            For this, Kyle Broflovski was eternally grateful. He shouldn’t be sitting there alone. No, truth to be told, he shouldn’t be sitting there at all.

            Yet, as he quietly drank from his mug of beer, a strange kind of excitement filled his entire being. Several metres away from him the stage was decorated drapes glowing with autumnal colours, auburn leaves threaded through thin golden threads were hanged from the lamps made of deer antlers what formed a wreath. At the back of the stage he had seen several chairs, each paired up with a music stand. However, in the centre of the stage stood one lone barstool, taking over the spotlight and promising something much better than the usual band.

 

            As he sat there, waiting for the star of the night, the heavy, almost lulling scent of alcohol and spices somehow slowed his thoughts, leading Kyle into a sentimental trip down on memory lane. The autumns in Etria were hardly as festive, but he still held fond memories of creating pictures of the leaves they’ve collected and competing about who could make the crudest picture without the teacher noticing them. He almost forgot that under the terrible memories they’d hidden some real treasures. He raised the glass mug to his lips with a satisfied smile before turning to the walnut rye bread that was accompanied by a small jar of chestnut jam with the words _Maronen_ painted on the side of the glass. It was not as good as Tweek’s, but then again, Tweek skills hardly had any competition in the duchy and he didn’t expect anything ground-breaking from a tavern sitting next to a brewery.  

            Just as he was about to put down the knife, he felt the table shaking in front of him and Kyle immediately held onto the most expensive items on his table, the food.

“Excuse me, but what is your problem?” he looked at the stranger who made himself comfortable at his table almost kicking up the entire furniture as he stole an empty chair.

            Blue eyes, short dirty blond, almost brown hair and a look that betrayed complete disgust in the world. If he had bushy eyebrows he could be the long lost twin brother of The Mole, Kyle thought to himself bitterly. But Christophe was probably at the duchy’s palace, shouting at his fellow guards for petty reasons like forgetting to clean their helmets or not standing exactly one metres away from each other.

            However, just when Kyle was about to shoo away the unpleasant stranger, the light coming from the lamps above them grew dim, making the small candles that were lit on each table stand out even more. The audience went silent, waiting for the show that was about to take place. Footsteps echoed on the wooden stairs as a blond youth stepped onto the stage, then with slumped shoulders he hesitantly looked around as if he was searching for someone. He wore an orange shirt, topped with a decorated brown mantle, that had flowers and small songbirds embroidered on its hem. Kyle couldn’t even deny, his hearts skipped a beat when Kenneth McCormick, ranger of Elven Keep waltzed in, wearing the same attired they had bought together for the harvest banquet. Kyle proudly looked around, seeing everyone else looking at his boyfriend in awe and he was only seconds away from proclaiming his love for the survivalist who took over the role of a bard for one night.

 

            However, on the other side of the tavern, things were nearly not as mesmerizing. Clutching his lute to the point where his knuckles became white, Kenny climbed to the stool with a little jump and awkwardly measured up his situation. Way too many eyes followed his movements, causing him to become even more stressed. Like that was possible, his heart hammered in his chest at an alarming pace.

             He took a visibly deep breath, before getting into position and holding the neck of the lute with one hand. He strummed as few chords as an experiment, then tuned them before trying again. Hesitantly Kenny looked over the crowd, then he finally began. Some of the chords came out with a small vibration thanks to his shaking hands, gradually picking up more courage as he got used to the instrument.

 

            It was a completely new side of Kenny. One that was with them all along, but Kyle thought Kenny left it back at home. He had heard him complain enough about how he had to play at the slums to get some money for his family, yet refused to accept the money when it was coming from Kyle, even if it was to acknowledge his skills with the lute. Music was a chore for Kenny and a source of so any unpleasant experiences and to see him getting lost in the melodies warmed Kyle’s heart.

            However that warmth quickly disappeared…

“Never thought that this bar would let someone from the slums play on stage,” the stranger muttered to himself. Kyle tried to ignore him by drinking from his mug, but his expression already revealed his feelings.

“Oh, sorry, sour topic?” the man taunted him. Yes, that was the best word.

“We don’t live in the slums” whit his lips still touching the rim of the glass, Kyle corrected him making sure to put emphasis on the _“we”_ as a warning. The stranger only shrugged and stole a slice of bread, spreading the sweet jam on its surface. If Kenny wasn’t there Kyle would have already punched the man. But this was Kenny’s night, so for his sake, Kyle controlled himself and focused his attention on the stage again.

 

            Thanks to the stranger, he haven’t really had a chance to listen to the lyrics, but now that he managed to push down his negative emotions, he remembered how much he loved Kenny’s singing voice. Part of him regretted that he couldn’t hear it more often.

            He sang of journeys, faintly Kyle could take out mentions of the forest at home and the glowing fireflies leading the way to a boat and a black cart. However, as he listened the songs took him back at certain times of their life, adding something personal and intimate to the experiences. Under the poetic exaggerations and metaphors their life presented with the sweetest tunes, chords resounding in perfect harmony with Kenny’s voice. It was like a map drawn of the labyrinth, but something only the two of them could fully understand.

            Kyle quickly drank to conceal the happiness and embarrassment that turned his cheeks red.

“These were definitely not in his repertoire when he was begging for money back in Etria,” the stranger nodded, almost as if he could read his thoughts. “He seems to be stupidly in love.”

            This statement made Kyle choke on his beer.

“Could you just stop making comments about my boyfriend?!” he hissed at the man, angrily taking away one of the sandwiches he made in advance.

            Blue eyes looked at him in confusion. “Wait, if he is your boyfriend, as you said, then why are you sitting here so far away from him. Shouldn’t you be rooting for the kid from the front rows?”

“It’s a long story,” Kyle averted his gaze. He shouldn’t even be there in the first place.

“Trouble in paradise?” the man wiggled his eyebrows in a playful manner. For some reason his gestures and his tone reminded Kyle of Kenny, but he didn’t want to make that connection. Better keep that stranger out of his thoughts.

“No, everything is perfect, thank you for asking.” he half-heartedly took a bite from his sandwich, letting the chestnut jam and the bitterish bread wash away the taste of alcohol.

“Then why sit in the shadows like a lone loser?”

“Because I only know about this performance thanks to a friend, I shouldn’t be here in the first place and I respect Kenny enough to not give him a heart attack by suddenly appearing in front of him? Yes, that sounds like a good reason not to disturb him!” he tried to keep his voice down, but somehow still managed to earn scornful glances from the people next to him. He muttered a low sorry, before returning his attention to Kenny. The blond looked so happy after he got over his initial shyness and stage fright, but before he could’ve got lost within the sea of words the stranger felt like bothering him to no end.

“I like you. You respect his privacy yet you are nosy enough to follow your own selfishness.”

“I wish you would do the same.” Kyle muttered under his breath, his eyes never leaving Kenny. However, the stranger continued,

“Why would I, when I have a great conversation partner?”

“I would punch that smile off your face if it wouldn’t ruin Kenny’s performance.”

“You are thoughtful… Especially for a Broflovski.”

            This threw Kyle out of balance. He didn’t remember any introductions let any instances where his surname was revealed. Yet this stranger knew him from somewhere. He looked into those blue eyes and started connecting the facts.

            This person knew Kenny and his background, something that was a sensitive topic even between friends.

            This person knew him, Kyle Broflovski from somewhere.

            This person shared way too many similarities with Kenny and Karen.

            And right now, Kyle looked at him like a frightened hedgehog what got tangled in vines. However, before he could’ve shared his findings with the world the room suddenly got quiet around him and the audience followed it with a burst of applause. Kenny stood up, bowing to show his gratitude, his brown hood falling on his head in result.

“Damn,” Kyle looked around in panic, searching for the nearest exit. He had to get home before Kenny did to avoid any suspicions and further conflicts.  

“I have to go now. It was nice to meet you.” he sputtered these words before he basically fell out of his seat to make his escape, legs getting tangled in the chair. The stranger only nodded and asked as he pointed at the half full mug and the jam:

“What about your drink and the food?”

“Do what you want with it!”

            Kyle told him before disappearing behind a door, leaving only a memory behind. Nobody really questioned the well-dressed youth who ran through the town with an alarming speed.

 

\- - -

 

            Everything went better than he’d anticipated. The owner was happy because he didn’t have to completely cancel the evening after his main troubadour got sick, people loved him, and he also got paid for that half-day worth of stress.  Now he only needed to come up with a believable lie about his whereabouts in case Kyle started getting nosy… Also he’d have to drop the lute somewhere, because if Kyle was awake, and he was pretty sure he was already waiting for him while reading a book on their sofa; there is no way he could explain why he was walking around with Jimmy’s lute in the dead of the night.

            A lie. A white lie. He needed a white lie…

            That thought followed Kenneth McCormick as he strolled past the empty stands of the shopping district. The shopkeepers have already closed for the day and brought their wares to the local storage to make their job easier at dawn. Fortunately, their apartment was far away in the southern ward, so Kenny had plenty of time to think of an explanation for his absence.

            As he turned right to make his way toward the town’s main square, he felt a presence following him, slow steps joining him on the smooth cobblestones. As a test, Kenny went through the narrow alley that led down to the western ward, a small detour. He stopped at the end of the stairs, looking up, as if he was waiting for his pursuer to accidentally reveal himself, but he could only hear the whistling of the wind.

            Everything went silent around him once again, and Kenny was about to relax when he finally saw the fountain. Alchemists have used volt-fluids hidden within glasses and lamps to make the square stand out in the landscape. Once it was found, even tourists could easily navigate back to their inns and for him it meant that he was almost home.

            However, just as he was about to turn right, two hands blocked his view acting as a blindfold. Out of instinct, Kenny quickly elbowed the stranger in his solar plexus, before turning around and going for the legs, swiftly pulling them with his feet. The freak who kept following him since he left the tavern let out a surprised yelp as he fell to the ground, completely paralyzed from the hit.

            Kenny was about to whip out the lute, when he realized the familiar features and the shaggy brown hair. Almost immediately, his previous murderous intent disappeared, giving way to a strange mix or worry and happiness.

“Kevin?!” he exclaimed, rushing to his brother’s side, who kept staring at the sky above them.

“It’s good to see you too, Kenny,” Kevin answered him. “What the hell… My arms are tingling.”

“That… will stay for a while…” Kenny noted with slight hesitation in his voice. This move was for potential robbers, not for his own brother. Though, it wasn’t like Kevin didn’t deserve that hit. “So, what being brought you by? It’s not like you to just appear out of nowhere, you are better at the disappearing act.”

“I went back to Etria.” Kevin started awkwardly, after he managed to get himself into sitting position. “You weren’t there.”

“What a surprise!” Kenny shrugged, his voice lacking any trace of mirth. Deep down, he still couldn’t forgive Kevin for leaving them with their parents. Not even time could mend that wound Kevin left, when they woke up and the eldest brother was nowhere to be found.

“Sorry. It was foolish of me to expect that you would stay there,” Kevin stood up, putting his hand on Kenny’s shoulder only to get shaken off.

            The blond didn’t even listen to the sentence.

“Who told you that we are in High Lagaard…?”

“Shelly.” Kevin stated, then answered Kenny’s unspoken question. “And no, nobody else knows about it. Not even her parents.”

“Good.” the survivalist let out a sigh as he unconsciously started playing with the hem of his orange scarf. “So what do you want?”

            Kevin stood in silence for a moment, blinking as he tried to understand his brother’s question.

“Checking up on my siblings. Making sure that they are alright. Just the usual!” he answered a wry smile playing on his lips. “Meeting someone’s boyfriend managed to catch me off guard, though.” 

“Whose..?”

            Kevin just wiggled his eyebrows at him, to which Kenny muttered a silent curse under his breath, while his cheeks slowly got darker. Suddenly the thought of being in a relationship became embarrassing.

“How?! When?!”

“We happened to sit next to each other at a bar. Never thought that there will be a day when I see a rich kid melt at the sight of a McCormick, yet here we are.”

            Kenny processed the information. A bar, Kevin and “the rich boyfriend” meeting there. Must have happened recently too, because Kevin was following him ever since he left the tavern at the northern ward. Which also meant, that Kyle was there…

“What?!” he shrieked, voice echoing in the empty streets, waking up a dog near them, who answered with a loud bark.

“From your reaction, he wasn’t supposed to be there,” Kevin huffed in amusement and made his way to his brother. He would’ve visited him sooner if he knew that Kenny got so easily flustered over his relationship.

“No, he was supposed to be at home, reading or studying or something! Not tailing after me in the dead of the night!”

“Oh, come on Ken, give that boy a rest!”

“You are defending him now?!” Kenny couldn’t believe his ears.

“Well, he was talking about you like you were the best thing since sliced bread. Also, Broflovski was so proud of you that I almost got punched, when I dared to make a comment. Sorry bro, I have to defend my future brother-in-law.”

“We are not engaged!” Kenny was fuming; also he wanted to hide away from his brother. Impossible task in a completely barren square.

“Yet. But you are already living together, that’s the first step,” Kevin told him, raising his index finger.

“Please stop...” Kenny whined at the unasked mental images, he never thought about future, let alone shared future. Partly because he never thought he would be able to plan ahead and there would be someone who would be willing to share their future with him.

            He looked at Kevin, who happily watched his suffering. Then he looked toward the southern ward, where Kyle was probably waiting for him to pretend being worried and ask empty questions. He should have been angry with him, at the same time, knowing that Kyle got mushy over his songs filled him with childish glee.

            Part of him believed, Jimmy asked him on purpose only to laugh at them for being idiots. His brother was not part of this little act, but he was probably amused by the antics of Elven Keep.

 

“You should drop by at a human time.” he told his brother at last as he tried to conceal a yawn. “I want to hear you criticizse my home and I bet Karen would be ecstatic to see you again! Kyle’s reaction would be priceless too, of course.”

“Maybe someday. If you are still living in the duchy when I return.”

So that's why he appeared out of nowhere...

“Oh. So this is more of a final goodbye?”

            Kevin averted his gaze, looking at the inn across the square. “Yep! I failed to say it years ago and it bothered me a lot, actually. Sadly, I don’t think I could stay in one place for too long so don’t even try to make me stay. I love seeing the colours of the world and experiencing it as someone from Etria and not the kid from the slums.”

            Sending where the discussion headed Kenny couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness in his heart. It was not a tearful reuinon, but a meeting that brought forward a long needed closure…

“Well, in my opinion, you can experience a different colour simply by sitting in the same place, but I won’t stop you. I’m just glad you are okay.”

            Kevin held back a chuckle.

“Never been better. Though, I should get going before the innkeeper shuts my ass out of the house.”

“Yeah…” Kenny nodded along hesitating as if he still had something to say. “Just make sure to send us a postcard or something.”

“Sure.” Kevin was already halfway between the inn and the fountain, before he turned back and mouthed something toward Kenny, chasing away the sorrow he'd felt about the departure of his brother.  
     While the wind took a hold of those words and carried them away into the night, that mute sentence still made Kenny pull up his scarf in front of his mouth and anxiously fasten its hold on his face. The heat quickly rushed to his cheeks as he broke into a running toward home, away from his annoying sibling.

 

As if his brother’s sole purpose in life was to make him feel uncomfortable!

**Author's Note:**

> This is a self-indulgent little ficlet that ended up becoming way more than I anticipated. It's an indirect sequel to Frozen Flowers... Well, somewhat? It takes place way after that and there were many events between the two. I'd rather consider this to be a standalone oneshot.
> 
> And as for what did Kevin say to his little bro...? That is a mystery.


End file.
